University of Colorado cross country runner Andy Wacker raced his way to the “CU Independent”�Athlete of the Week honors.
Wacker placed second overall in the 2011 NCAA Pre-National Invitational on Sunday, Oct. 16. The then-ranked No. 8 men�s team also took the team title. In the latest rankings, Colorado is No. 6.
The 5-foot-11-inch senior finished the 8-kilometer course in 23 minutes, 58 seconds. He was just three seconds behind the first-place finisher.
Andy Wacker as he was interviewed in Balch Fieldhouse on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. (CU Independent/Robert R. Denton)
�Andy had a great summer of training and his work is paying off,� CU Coach Mark Wetmore said in a news release.
Even though Wacker has been preparing for this season since May, he still makes time for academics. He finished earning his bachelor�s degree in evolutionary biology and integrative physiology during the summer.
This fall, he is working on a master�s degree in integrated physiology.
Wacker could boast about his personal performance in and out of cross country, but he�s more concerned with how his team competes.
�First of all, the most important thing for me is the team,� Wacker said. �So it�s nice to see that our team won an invitational because we haven�t won a big invitational like that in a while. It just means a lot.�
CU senior Richard Medina finished right behind Wacker in fourth place.�Medina said he is proud of Wacker and also pointed to the team�s strong group dynamic as the key to their early success this season.
Wacker believes that having such strong support from his teammates gives the Buffs a competitive edge.
�It�s nice because we can work together, and it�s a lot more intimidating if you have two guys right in the front,� Wacker said. �You�re passing somebody and you�ve both got the same uniform.�
Wacker placed second overall at the Rocky Mountain Shootout in September. (CU Independent/Jake Fojtik)
The Buffs don�t have much time to sit back and celebrate. Their next competition is the inaugural Pac-12 Championship on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Tempe, Ariz.
�There�s a team championship out there to win and we�re ready to do it,� Wacker said.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Marlee Horn at [email protected].�
